How Card Savvy Are You?

African Bank’s Sales and Marketing Executive, Alfred Ramosedi, saids criminals are getting more and more sophisticated in their fraud scams. Photo submitted.

Stolen-card, counterfeit-card and card-not-present (CNP) fraud are the three most prevalent types of fraud used to defraud customers.

African Bank’s Sales and Marketing Executive, Alfred Ramosedi, said criminals are getting more and more sophisticated in their fraud scams but the three modus operandi listed above are still the most prevalent and consumers should familiarise themselves with these scams and the means to protect themselves.

“Stolen-card fraud is pretty self-explanatory,” said Alfred. “Criminals steal genuine bank cards together with the correct PIN numbers and then use these cards immediately at the nearest ATM to withdraw cash, followed by purchases at stores until the account is either empty or the card stopped.”

Counterfeit-card fraud is slightly different in that a card is manufactured fraudulently and not genuinely issued by a bank. Criminals can do this by using compromised card data. The data is usually compromised through skimming. Alfred said skimming devices can read and store card data from the magnetic strip of a genuinely issued bank card.

“The problem is that hand-held skimming devices are quite small and not easily detectable. ATM skimming devices are fixed onto the machines and are even more difficult to see, so criminals often get away with skimming undetected,” said Alfred.

Although these counterfeit cards can only be used at an ATM if the correct PIN is also used, most criminals generally manage to gain access to the PIN with a technique called shoulder surfing.

“Shoulder surfing is an effective way to get information in crowded places because it’s relatively easy to stand next to someone and watch as they fill in a form, enter a PIN number at an ATM machine, or use a calling card at a public pay phone.”

With CNP fraud, the data is compromised in a variety of ways, ranging from the actual physical theft of data off a genuine card to large scale data breaches usually carried out by syndicates. While it may be difficult for a consumer to avoid a large-scale breach, they can do much to mitigate the risk of low-tech physical theft. “Many people do not even realise that criminals who can memorise or write down the card number, its expiry date and the three digits on the back, can quite effectively start transacting fraudulently on the internet or a phone, just as if they were the genuine card-holder.”

Similarly, if a merchant has copies recording the front and back of various bank cards, these can be stolen and used fraudulently.

Alfred provided card-holders with the following useful tips to protect their card data:

• Review your account statements on a regular and timely basis, and query any suspicious or unfamiliar transactions with your bank immediately.

• When shopping online, only place orders with your card on secure websites.

• Do not send e-mails that quote your card number and expiry date.

• Ensure that you get your own card back after every purchase and always ask that the credit card machine be swiped in front of you.

• Never write down your pin or disclose it to anyone.

• Report lost and stolen cards immediately to your bank

• Destroy your credit card receipts before discarding them.

• Sign your card on the back signature panel as soon as you receive it to stop anyone else from taking ownership or trying to use it.

• Don’t allow anyone to use your card – your credit/ debit card is not transferable. Only the person to whom the card was issued is authorised to use it.

• If you have a debit, cheque and credit card, don’t choose the same PIN for all of them, so that if your PIN is compromised on one card, the others will still be safe.